Forestry and Arboriculture

Level 3

If you’re either at college or working in the forestry industry, choosing to study Level 3 at Plumpton is an excellent choice for the next stage of your career.

Building on all of the skills and knowledge that you already have, you’ll get to spend lots of time understanding tree and woodland care at our excellent facilities here at Plumpton. With over 800 hectares of land for you to explore, you’ll be choosing the perfect location.

These are a suite of level 3 qualifications (equivalent to A level) which can be studied in a variety of combinations to allow flexibility and to help you to develop your arboricultural and forestry skills along with increasing your underpinning knowledge and understanding of tree and woodland care.

This course is designed to prepare people for entry to the forestry or arboriculture industries as an operator and includes a wide range of skills and knowledge.

Year 1 of the programme will cover primarily arboricultural and tree care skills and will also include plant and soil science and machinery operation.

Year 2 will cover forestry skills, estate skills and more advanced arboricultural skills and knowledge. There will generally be more theory based sessions in the second year.

Work Experience

Study programmes include a minimum of compulsory work experience hours achieved through one day a week or block placements. The amount of hours required is dependent on the study programme.

Industry Work Placement

All students aged 16-18 on our Level 2 & Level 3 programmes will now have to take part in an exciting and compulsory 50-day industry placement programme alongside completion of their vocational course. The programme will give you the chance to gain valuable skills in a real working environment whilst being paired with your ideal employer.

Our mission is to pair students with their ideal employer and to support them continuously during the placement.

There is flexibility on how students complete the placement; it can be during non-college weekdays, weekends, in blocks or over the holiday period. You will receive all of the necessary information during your interview, and if you have any queries in the meantime please contact workexperience@plumpton.ac.uk

Entry Requirements:

Either:

You’ll need to have achieved 4 or more GCSEs between Grade 9-4 (previous grade structure A-C) including English, Maths and a Science

Successful completion of a related Level 2 qualification

Mature students without the above requirements will be considered

Dates & Location:

September 2018

Duration:

2 years full time

4 days per week

During my course I really enjoyed all the climbing and learning new techniques to access the canopy.

The classroom side of the the course was really good too; I gained a great deal of knowledge to support my practical skills.

Noah Tremaine

Level 3 Diploma Foresty

Future Opportunities

After completing your course, you can choose to go on to study a Foundation Degree in Forestry and Arboriculture.

Alternatively you’ll have the skills to find employment as a skilled Arborist or Forester in a local authority post, National Trust or in the private sector.

Modules

Year 1

Plant and soil science

Tree planting, identification, and care

Work experience

Tree felling and chainsaw use

Forest and woodland skills

Specialist forestry & arboricultural machinery

Arboriculture skills

English & Maths

Year 2

Work experience

Specialist investigative project

Pests and diseases

Tree surveys, inspections and data analysis

Timber conversion and use

Advanced arboricultural skills

English & Maths

Ready to take the next step?

Apply for this course online now to begin you journey towards a qualification in Forestry and Arboriculture.